Starting simulation from a real situation

Abstract

Technology is disclosed for starting a simulation from a real situation. In various embodiments, the technology receives a parameter corresponding to simulation of a physical entity in a virtual context, receives an attribute corresponding to the physical entity in a physical context, and simulates the physical entity in the virtual context using the attribute as a stimulus. The attribute may identify an actual occurrence during the physical context.

I claim: 
     
       1. A method performed by a computer system that has a processor and a memory to simulate a physical sports event, the method comprising:
 receiving, from the physical sports event, one or more attributes that correspond to participation of a physical sports player in the physical sports event,
 wherein the one or more attributes include at least one attribute related to an actual present occurrence during the physical sports event, and 
 wherein the at least one attribute includes location information that corresponds to a present location of the physical sports player during the participation in the physical sports event; 
 
 receiving one or more parameters that include information usable to predict future behavior of the physical sports player, wherein the one or more parameters are received in response to the at least one attribute being presented, as a stimulus for the future behavior, on a display; 
 starting a simulation of the physical sports event in a virtual context, in which physical entities in the physical sports event are simulated from a situation similar to that of the physical sports event at a time of the start of the simulation,
 wherein the physical entities include the physical sports player, and 
 wherein a simulation of the physical sports player is based, at least in part, on the one or more parameters, the location information that corresponds to the present location of the physical sports player, and the predicted future behavior of the physical sports player that participates in the physical sports event; 
 
 enabling participatory user control of the simulated physical sports player in the simulation of the physical sports event; 
 enabling control of an action by at least one of the simulated physical entities, other than the simulated physical sports player, in the simulation of the physical sports event; and 
 controlling the simulation of the physical sports event with the simulated physical sports player under the participatory user control in accordance with the predicted future behavior, and with the controlled action by the at least one of the simulated physical entities other than the simulated physical sports player. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the location information includes a location of the physical sports player in a live physical sports event or a previously recorded physical sports event. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more attributes include a statistic related to the physical sports player. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the virtual context includes an electronic game, and 
 the physical entities include one or more physical sports players from opposition teams in the physical sports event. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the physical sports event includes a live physical sports event or a previously recorded physical sports event that is broadcast. 
     
     
       6. A computer-readable hardware device having stored thereon instructions that, in response to execution by a computer device, cause the computer device to perform or control performance of operations that comprise:
 obtain, from a physical sports event, one or more attributes that correspond to participation of a physical sports player in the physical sports event,
 wherein the one or more attributes include at least one attribute related to an actual present occurrence during the physical sports event, and 
 wherein the at least one attribute includes location information that corresponds to a present location of the physical sports player during the participation in the physical sports event; 
 
 obtain one or more parameters that include information usable to predict future behavior of the physical sports player, wherein the one or more parameters are obtained in response to the at least one attribute being presented, as a stimulus for the future behavior, on a display; 
 start a simulation of the physical sports event in a virtual context, in which physical entities in the physical sports event are simulated from a situation similar to that of the physical sports event at a time of the start of the simulation,
 wherein the physical entities include the physical sports player, and 
 wherein the physical sports player is simulated based, at least in part, on the one or more parameters, the location information that corresponds to the present location of the physical sports player, and the predicted future behavior of the physical sports player that participates in the physical sports event; 
 
 enable participatory user control of the simulated physical sports player in the simulation of the physical sports event; 
 enable control of an action by at least one of the simulated physical entities, other than the simulated physical sports player, in the simulation of the physical sports event; and 
 control the simulation of the physical sports event with the simulated physical sports player under the participatory user control in accordance with the predicted future behavior, and with the controlled action by the at least one of the simulated physical entities other than the simulated physical sports player. 
 
     
     
       7. The computer-readable hardware device of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more parameters include at least one parameter based on statistical observation of the physical sports player in one or more physical sports events. 
     
     
       8. The computer-readable hardware device of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more parameters include at least one parameter based on statistical observation of the physical sports player in one or more physical sports events that occurred previously to the physical sports event. 
     
     
       9. The computer-readable hardware device of  claim 8 , wherein the physical sports player includes a car driver and the physical sports event includes a car driving route. 
     
     
       10. The computer-readable hardware device of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more parameters include at least one parameter that identifies a driving style of the car driver. 
     
     
       11. A system, comprising:
 a display; 
 one or more communication ports configured to receive one or more attributes that correspond to participation of a physical sports player in a physical sports event,
 wherein the one or more attributes include at least one attribute related to an actual present location of the physical sports player during the physical sports event; 
 
 one or more processors coupled to the display and to the one or more communication ports, and configured to start a simulation of the physical sports event in a virtual context, in which physical entities in the physical sports event are simulated from a situation similar to that of the physical sports event at a time of the start of the simulation,
 wherein the physical entities include the physical sports player, 
 wherein the physical sports player is simulated by use of the one or more attributes as a stimulus for future behavior of the simulated physical sports player in the simulation of the physical sports event, and 
 wherein the simulation of the physical sports player is based on a prediction of the future behavior of the physical sports player, 
 wherein the prediction of the future behavior is made in response to the one or more attributes being presented, as the stimulus, on the display; 
 
 one or more user input devices coupled to the one or more processors and configured to enable participatory user control of the simulated physical sports player in the simulation of the physical sports event; 
 a first component coupled to the one or more processors and configured to enable control of an action by at least one of the simulated physical entities, other than the simulated physical sports player, in the simulation of the physical sports event; and 
 a second component coupled to the one or more processors and the one or more user input devices, wherein the second component is configured to control the simulation of the physical sports event with the simulated physical sports player under the participatory user control in accordance with the predicted future behavior, and with the controlled action by the at least one of the simulated physical entities other than the simulated physical sports player. 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more attributes include at least one attribute received in a broadcast signal that broadcasts the physical sports event. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the virtual context is simulated by a game console computer device. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the virtual context is simulated by a mobile computer device. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more communication ports are further configured to receive one or more parameters that include information useful in the prediction of the future behavior of the physical sports player. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more attributes include at least one attribute observed based on a device embedded in a sports apparatus that is employed in the physical sports event. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the sports apparatus includes a ball. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the device is a part of a radio frequency identification system. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more attributes include at least one attribute observed by a scene recognition technology. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 19 , wherein the scene recognition technology comprises image recognition. 
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 20 , wherein the image recognition comprises recognition of the physical sports player. 
     
     
       22. The system of  claim 20 , wherein the image recognition comprises recognition of a sports apparatus. 
     
     
       23. The system of  claim 20 , wherein the image recognition comprises recognition of the actual present location relative to the physical sports event. 
     
     
       24. The system of  claim 23 , wherein the actual present location includes a position on a sports field. 
     
     
       25. A method performed by a computer system to simulate a physical event, the method comprising:
 receiving a first input of one or more attributes related to a physical context of the physical event, wherein the receiving the first input of the one or more attributes includes receiving at least one first attribute related to a present location of a physical entity in the physical event; 
 receiving a second input of one or more parameters related to a prediction of future behavior of the physical entity, wherein the receiving the second input of the one or more parameters includes receiving at least one parameter related to information usable to predict the future behavior of the physical entity in the physical event, wherein the at least one parameter is received in response to the at least one first attribute being presented, as a stimulus for the future behavior, on a display; 
 receiving an indication to activate a computer device to start a simulation of the physical event in a virtual context in which the physical entity is simulated, wherein the start of the simulation includes positioning the simulated physical entity in the simulation at a location that corresponds to the present location of the physical entity in the physical event in accordance with the at least one parameter and in accordance with the at least one first attribute; and 
 in response to receipt of the indication, starting the simulation with user control of the simulated physical entity to interact with the simulation from the location at which the simulated physical entity is positioned. 
 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 25 , further comprising facilitating a visual display of the simulation, wherein the visual display of the simulated physical entity starts at the present location of the physical entity in a television broadcast of the physical event, wherein the simulation includes a video game. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 26 , further comprising determining the present location of the physical entity by use of image recognition applied to the television broadcast. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 25 , wherein:
 the receiving the one or more attributes includes receiving at least one second attribute related to a present physical context other than the present location of the physical entity in the physical event, and 
 the simulation of the physical entity is based, at least in part, on the at least one second attribute. 
 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 25 , further comprising receiving at least one second attribute related to an actual present occurrence in a physical context other than the physical event, wherein the future behavior of the physical entity is stimulated by the at least one second attribute.